Reforms to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act) and the passage of the Australian Information Commissioner Act 2010 introduced fundamental changes to the way information held by government is managed and accessed by members of the public. The changes took effect from 1 November 2010, with the exception of the information publication scheme requirements, which commenced on 1 May 2011.
The clear intention of the FOI Act is to promote disclosure of information held by government. The new objects of the Act include:
- give the Australian community access to information by requiring agencies to publish the information, and provide a right of access; contribute to increased participation in government processes and increased scrutiny, discussion and review of government activities;
- increase recognition that information held by government is a national resource; and
- promote public access to information, promptly and at the lowest reasonable cost.
Requirements for making a FOI request
A request for access must:
- be in writing (and may be in email format);
- state that the request is an application for the purposes of the FOI Act;
- provide enough information to enable the document(s) sought to be identified; and
- give details of how notices under the FOI Act may be sent to you (for example, by providing an electronic address to which notices may be sent by electronic communication).
The request may be sent in any of the following:
email: FOI-ATSB@atsb.gov.au
post: Freedom of Information Coordinator
Australian Transport Safety Bureau
GPO Box 321
Canberra ACT 2601
FOI general enquiries: +61 2 6122 1601
Alternative to FOI – requests for data or analysis for research purposes
The ATSB collects information through mandatory occurrence reporting requirements under the Transport Safety Investigation Act 2003. Data collected by the ATSB may be made publicly available for general statistical purposes or research through a searchable database for aviation occurrences. The database is available to access at: https://www.atsb.gov.au/avdata
For other requests that involve data research or analysis, you may wish to make a written request to the ATSB Safety Analysis and Research team to discuss your research scope and intended purpose for the data, such as making safety improvements or presentations. This will assist the ATSB in understanding the research questions and type of data that could be relevant and whether it is collected.
Please send data written requests via e-mail to: atsbinfo@atsb.gov.au
If the ATSB is able to assist with your data request, the ATSB may limit disclosure of identifiable information and seek attribution for the data.
Fees and charges
All application fees, including fees for internal review, have been abolished. No costs will apply where a person requests access to their personal information. If a statutory timeframe for processing a FOI request is not met, no charge will apply.
The FOI Act provides for other charges associated with the processing of the request. These charges may relate to the time spent searching for and retrieving relevant document(s), decision-making time, photocopying and other costs. If lodging a FOI request, you will be notified as soon as possible of an estimate of the charges associated with processing your request. Your request will not be processed until you respond to any such notification.
Restricted Information exemption
It is recommended that prior to lodging a FOI request, the applicant has an understanding of how the ATSB is required to perform its functions under the Transport Safety Investigation Act 2003 (TSI Act). Section 12AA of the TSI Act states that the function of the ATSB is to improve transport safety through, among other things, independent investigations of transport accidents and incidents. It clearly stated that it is not the purpose of ATSB investigations to apportion blame or provide a means for determining liability.
ATSB transport safety investigators exercise statutory powers delegated by the ATSB and the Chief Commissioner in accordance with the provisions of the TSI Act. The TSI Act allows the ATSB to investigate transport safety matters in the aviation, marine and rail transport modes within the Australian Government's constitutional jurisdiction and to release transport safety information, including investigation reports that detail the findings and significant factors that led to a particular transport safety occurrence.
A comprehensive regime of provisions within the TSI Act is in place to maintain the confidentiality of, and legal protection for, a range of sensitive safety information obtained by ATSB investigators.
Therefore, it is important to note that significant amount of information gathered by the ATSB during the course of its investigations is defined as restricted information under section 3 of the TSI Act. Under subsections 60 (1), (2) and (3) of the TSI Act staff members (as defined by section 3 of the Act and covering the classes of persons working for the ATSB), Commissioners, Consultants and persons given access under section 62, are prohibited from copying or disclosing restricted information. Those subsections are 'secrecy provisions' for the purposes of section 38 of the FOI Act and access to such information is exempt from release under subparagraph 38(1)(b)(i).
ATSB transport safety reports are published on this website at www.atsb.gov.au and are freely available to the public. However, these reports were published under section 25 of the TSI Act attracting the protection of section 27. Section 27 of the TSI Act states that:
(1) a report under section 25 is not admissible in evidence in civil or criminal proceedings.
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to a coronial inquiry.
FOI disclosure log
All Australian Government agencies that are subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) are required by section 11C to publish a freedom of information (FOI) disclosure log on their website. The FOI disclosure log lists information which has been released in response to an FOI access request.
The disclosure log requirement does not apply to:
- personal information about any person if publication of that information would be ‘unreasonable’
- information about the business, commercial, financial or professional affairs of any person if publication of that information would be ‘unreasonable’
- other information covered by a determination made by the Australian Information Commissioner, if publication of that information would be ‘unreasonable’
- any information if it is not reasonably practicable to publish the information because of the extend of modifications that would need to be made to delete the information listed in the above points.
Who regulates FOI disclosure logs?
The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) is the agency with oversight responsibility for FOI disclosure logs for all Australian Government agencies that are subject to the FOI Act.
Access to our FOI disclosure log
The information described in our disclosure log has been released by the ATSB under the FOI Act and is available for public access.
2024–25
2023–24
2022–23
2021–22
2020–21
2019–20
2018–19
2017–18
2016–17
2015–16
2014–15
2013–14
2012–13
2011–12
If you’re looking for information that is not available on our disclosure log, or it is in a format you can’t access, you can contact us either by email at FOI-ATSB@atsb.gov.au or by telephone on +61 2 6122 1601 and ask for the document(s).